Queer icons share their London Marathon stories ahead of 2026 race

Months of preparation, litres of energy drinks and many pairs of running shoes later, and thousands of people are set to descend on the capital this weekend for the 46th edition of the London Marathon.

It's set to be an exhilarating Sunday, with stars from stage, screen, music and entertainment joining the thousands more donning their exercise gear - all with their own personal stories to tell.

Starting the race, Great Britain’s four-time Olympic gold medallist Sir Mo Farah is retuning to the TCS London Marathon for the first time since retiring from athletics in 2024, alongside Red Roses Rugby World Cup-winning star, Ellie Kildunne, who'll be fresh off the back of England’s Six Nations game against Wales taking place the day before.

The will be kicking off the elite wheelchair, elite women’s and elite men’s races, as well as the mass start, sending more than 59,000 participants on their way from Blackheath to The Mall on Marathon Day.

Amongst them will be two queer icons: Jeremy Joseph and Elektra Fence.

'You get to the finish line, and you burst into tears'

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK S3 star Elektra Fence will be taking on her third marathon - in full drag (we're talking 'bright colours, Barbie vibes') - to support the charity, Scope.

She's deeply connected to the charity as both her parents were born with cerebral palsy and have benefited from Scope's support for over seventy years.

Following the passing of her dad in 2022, Elektra views her participation in the marathon as a tribute to the charity that has supported her family, aspiring to foster a society where disabled individuals have equality and fairness.

Elektra told Hits Radio Pride: "I think it's addictive, doing the London Marathon!

"My amazing mum and dad were both born with cerebral palsy.

"Scope have done a lot for them over the years, and now, I want to do a lot more for Scope.

"I also helped with a charity gala, I was hosting that, and we raised over £300,000, which was insane!

"So far, I've raised over £6,000 from my marathons alone, and every little helps - even if it's £1 or 50p, it really goes a long way."

But what's the best bit about the London Marathon?

Well... it's the bit after the finish line, as Elektra explained: "Obviously, you're running 26.2 miles, and it's daunting, but when you're in there, everyone is cheering you on, everyone is handing out food, drinks, good vibes, hugs...

"There's thousands of people lining the streets of London watching you run - you're never alone, and that's really special.

"You get to that finish line, and you just burst into tears.

"I don't know whether it's the adrenaline or the emotion of seeing all those people cheering you on, or the fact you've raised so much money for the charity you're running for.

"But what I do know is that it's such an incredible feeling, and what I look forward to the most afterwards is a right good massage.

"I just want to me clicked, clacked - and it's just amazing!"

'The most incredible atmosphere'

Also getting ready to hit the tarmac is Jeremy Joseph, a prominent LGBT+ figure in the city, and the owner of Heaven.

He's preparing to run his sixteenth marathon, raising funds for the G-A-Y Foundation, alongside friends Claire Richards from Steps; Drag Race UK S6 contestant Kyran Thrax; Canada's Drag Race's Van Goth vs Eboni La'Belle; and fellow Drag Race icon Cheryl.

Their collective goal is to raise £30,000 for five special charities, including Mind Out LGBT, which is Jeremy's chosen organisation for the 2026 race.

Speaking to Hits Radio Pride, he says how every donation makes him feel incredibly grateful for the continued outpouring of support.

He said: "When people do donate, whatever it is, it's amazing.

"Each year, it feels almost more amazing, because we see people struggling even more with the cost of living, and you know that it's not about the amount at all - it's simply the fact that they've done it that means so much."

Being a veteran of the race, Jeremy's no stranger to the feeling of running in front of the tens of thousands of supporters cheering them on - and revealed how it just never gets old.

Jeremy added: "There's like over a million people watching you along the course, and it's the most incredible atmosphere which really lifts you when you need it the most.

"There are times when you're running along, and you just think to yourself that you could do with a bit of a rest, but you simply can't because there's people there, screaming your name out!

"Then you have other runners around you cheering you along, and when someone runs past you saying, 'come on!', it really is just amazing."

If there's one piece of advice Jeremy has to share, it's read all of the advice sent by the organisers.

He reflected: "It's really important to read the information sent to your email ahead of the marathon, and the whole part of training in the months up to the big day isn't necessarily about the training runs.

"Putting Vaseline on your toes - and even plasters on your nipples - all these little things are so important to learn to do.

"Getting things like blisters on your toes, when you're running those 26.2 miles is so painful - so you really need to be liberal when taking those precautions!

"You've got to do these things to give you the best chance of achieving the ultimate goal of crossing the finish line."

For Jeremy, there's one thing he's most excited about - and that's what's become the iconic 'Rainbow Row' just after the marker for mile 21.

He said: "Rainbow Row is literally a representation of us all, in the queer community.

"It's amazing, because you know that the thousands of runners will all run past it.

"And I can tell you - it's always the loudest part of the race, and this year, it's really special - as there's going to be an all-female DJ line-up really getting the crowd going."

Rainbow Row

For the first time in its four-year history, the Rainbow Row for 2026 will feature an all-female line-up of DJs.

They'll of course be joined with the usual array of host drag artists, who this year include Cheryl and Kyran Thrax, as well as Claire Richards from Steps, who's the ambassador for Marie Curie – the 2026 TCS London Marathon Charity of the Year.

It was back in 2022 when the Rainbow Row was created to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community, promote inclusivity and create a unique party atmosphere that, as the organisers say, 'gives participants the ultimate lift at a point when they need it the most'.

For those wanting to watch the race from Rainbow Row, head to Butcher Row in Limehouse, where you'll be able to find the 250m stretch of road - just past mile 21 - where the party will certainly be pumping.

You can find out plenty more about the London Marathon - and how to track your favourite runners - on the official website.

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